I figured you
wouldn't count my source as credible even though it's by a
professional writer.

Lafe Peavler is a writer whose job is to provide
arguments backed by fact. If he only wrote biased BYU comments, he would be
fired. It's his responsibility to provide credible information.

---------

You're putting too much stock into this
writer's words. Yes, he is a journalist, which is above the casual blogger.
But the piece you refer to (the myth buster slideshow) is a mix of known facts
and speculation.

you provided no proof that Sunday
wasn't an issue. You dodged the topic with random quotes.

----------

Those were not random quotes in the least. They were
quotes from league officials specifying the reasons Utah was invited.

If BYU was excluded primarily because of Sunday play, then those officials
would not have brought up the criteria they did -- because they wouldn't
have mattered.

In other words, if Sunday play kept BYU out, the
officials would have cited other reasons for Utah's invite -- like our BCS
victories or recent success on the field. The fact that they mentioned academics
and standing means they were looking for those accomplishments in potential
candidates. And BYU didn't have them.

I will admit that Sunday
play may have been a very MILD factor in the decision not to invite BYU... but
it was a very small consideration. If P10 really wanted BYU they would have
invited them and worked around the Sunday stipulation. If Utah had a No Sunday
Play policy, the P10 still would've invited them -- because we met the
overall criteria of what they were looking for.

Thank you for posting a reasonable
account of both BYU and Utah's standing in the national picture. My post
was in response to Uteology who was indeed insinuating that Utah has more
national esteem than BYU.

---------------

I wasn't
the one claiming BYU brings more to the table than Utah and Colorado.
That's your fanbase, including Dick Harmon when he went on ESPN and nearly
cried when Utah was invited.

I think there's a real advantage to the regular season scheduling. BYU has
done a nice job of putting together their schedule(s). The down side of
Independence is the bowl choices, or lack there of. Tied into a low, low tier
bowl game, in Miami, before the season ever starts has to be a real downer. Win
6, 8 or 11 and that's the destination vs the American Conference Champ.

As far as BYU not getting a Power 5 conference invite, others have
nailed it. No one is going to accept a team who comes into the league, not
willing to comprimise TV rights. Utah had to make concessions when they joined
the PAC 12. Plus no one wants a team dictating what days they will and will not
play on.

I hope they stay Independent. I think some
fans are obsessed about National Championships (Probably BYU fans in Utah that
have to deal with their Ute neighbors).

I would bet that a huge
amount / most BYU fans don't even live in Utah. If that is the case why
wouldn't they be happy about BYU being Independent? They have a much
greater probability watching BYU live near where they live with BYU being
Independent.

I can't wait till their game in Maryland in 2 years
vs. WVU. I am already planning on going to that game.

A real fan doesn't whine incessantly, constantly cut
his supposed team down and generally behave in the manner you do. I don't
believe for a minute that you are a BYU fan.

Being critical of the
way things are being done or the results are one thing but I've read enough
of your posts to know that isn't all you do. You consistently seek to cast
the school and program in a bad light and that is what utah "fans" do,
not BYU fans.

So prove yourself if you are really a BYU fan, say
something good just one time about BYU and its program, something optimistic and
something that convinces us you actually are a fan and not another utah troll.
You don't have to be unrealistic or even be happy about how things
currently are, I know I'm not satisfied at all currently, but at least say
something good about the place occasionally. Outside of that no one believes a
word of what you say.

"But the piece you refer to (the myth buster
slideshow) is a mix of known facts and speculation.

Therefore, you
cannot take it as 100 percent fact, like you are."

That is a very
reasonable comment. I agree, except for the part about me taking it as 100%
fact. I will admit I may have come across like I believed too strongly in it,
but I too understand that it is primarily speculation.

However, there
is a whole lot more speculation that Sunday play left BYU out of the PAC-12 than
this one article. Sunday play being an issue has been mentioned several times by
several people, including very well educated ones like Greg Wrubell. Generally,
when he says a certain thing is going on, he has more of an inside scoop than
most others.

I have heard zero speculation that sunday play was not
an issue except from red-goggled ute fans.

So yes, it is not 100%
fact, and I apologize if I gave that vibe. But there is still some pretty strong
evidence to suggest it is true.

"Those were not random quotes in the least. They
were quotes from league officials specifying the reasons Utah was
invited."

Yes, they were random quotes. The topic I was
discussing with this ute fan was whether Sunday play factored in to BYU's
not being invited into the Pac-12.

Yes, they were indeed quotes from
league officials specifying the reasons utah was invited. And not a single one
said "they were willing to play on sundays" or anything of that matter.

They referred to utah's academics, which is great. utah's
academics are very well respected. But they have nothing to do with Sunday play.
In fact, BYU's academics standards are much higher and a degree from BYU
(outside of the medical field) is generally higher respected than one from utah.
Again, I'm not trying to slam utah as a school. They do a great job. But
their academic prestige is certainly not the reason they were chosen over
BYU.

It may have been the type of academics (research institution)
but not the quality of education that is better than BYU's.

Utah sets single game ticket prices based on demand.
Utah had a 99% season renewal rate, and ISU is the season opener so it's
my guess that the minimum face value for a ticket to that game will be between
$30-$45 dollars.

There's nothing wrong with critiquing the program, but
when that critique is incessantly negative about everything and everybody
associated with the program, it does raise a red flag about where your true
allegiance lies.

I swear reading these comments is like watching the 104th ranked middle weight
take on the 106th ranked middle weight for UFC bragging rights. Entertaining?
Yes. Relevant? No.

Independence or PAC12 irrelevance is still
irrelevance. No one in the PAC12 cares about Utah, and no one outside Utah or
the lds community cares about BYU...deal with it (and I'm a BYU fan who is
just realistic). I'm heading to the SEC boards...I'll rejoin when the
season starts and there isn't the same pointless drivel and "my dad can
beat up your dad" nonsense. Seriously, I'm so over this rivalry.

I disagree. I believe there are a few games this year
where Utah would pull 65,000 if RES had the capacity. I don't know what
you mean by give away, but during my time at the U, a MUSS ticket rose in price
from $25 dollars to $50 dollars. if you have a non-student guest, they pay the
full season ticket price.

BTW, BYU students pay a heavily subsidized
tuition, so i don't feel bad if they have to pay a little extra for an all
sports pass.